Nothing Ever Goes as Planned
by FKJ10
Summary: Tai thought his plan in life was simple: go to Beacon, get yourself a team and part ways with said team after graduating. Then take as many high paying missions as possible before retiring in luxury as a respected hunter. Simple as that but things never go as you wanted in life. One-shot.
In the streets of Vale a young blonde boy no older than twelve in tattered clothes is walking alone at night no one seems to notice or care. The blonde boy by the name of Tai is fine with that no one cared about him in the multiple group homes he'd always find himself in since the day he was born.

Now today was a good day for the kid. He finally has saved up the necessary lien to get his weapon repaired so he can enter that hunter school Signal academy. Well maybe his weapon is a bit of a stretch but hey the guy Tai found it off of sure isn't going to get much use out of it anymore. Tai walks up to the mechanic's table and presents the man what appears to be a busted metal spaulder and his lien with a smile on his face.

" _Things are looking up for me."_

Okay everything at Signal didn't go as planned. Tai got into more fights than he ever thought he would have, but those guys were asking for it especially that smug prick with the scythe. At least he passed his classes, well barely with some extra credit but those are just some unnecessary details. At least he made one friend in Signal, a prodigy by the name of Jaques Arc who has similar goals to Tai and promises to become partners when they get to Beacon. Once he and Jaques pass Beacon's initiation it will be an easy four years before the missions and money start coming.

" _Just stick to the plan and everything will be fine."_

Everything is not fine. Tai reflects at his current situation not only is Jaques on a separate team, but he is he stuck with the scythe guy as a partner and his friends. _"Qrow, Raven and Summer"_ the names of the three people he is going to have to call his teammates. A team with a guy he hates, the guy's crazy sister and the guy's creepy girlfriend is leading the team. Well if he doesn't feel like the odd man out in this Team STRQ the headmaster dubbed.

" _Oh well better smile for the picture don't want to upset our fearless leader."_

Somehow things are looking up for Tai, Team STRQ has made it to the single battles of the Vytal festival tournament and Summer selected him for the honor of competing. Qrow just smiled at his shock but Raven was strangely quiet the entire time and just left the room. All the while he only listened to Summer explaining the battle strategies for every possible opponent out of the eight he would be facing.

" _Well this isn't all that bad."_

Amazingly, he won against Jacques, his friend and the top student in Beacon of all people, in the grand finale. If asked during his time in Signal if he ever thought this would happen to him he would have said yes, but secretly he would of silently say no way in hell. Tai walks up to Jacques and shakes his hand to the thunderous crowd's applause. For the first time in his life Tai could say he was truly happy.

" _Things couldn't possibly get any better than this."_

It's the day before graduation he's gotten himself a sweet contract along with Jacques. A protection deal for some rich businessman out in the country side. The man has laid claim to a large Dust field. Though only one problem the large number of Grimm in the area so the man needs some muscle to the protect the workers for the extraction process. If and when he takes this job, he can be one step closer to his early retirement in luxury. His side of the room is cleaned up with all of his items somehow in the sling on his back. Tai is ready to board the nearest Bullhead off of Beacon and to Vale where his train awaits him.

Then the rest of Team STRQ come in the room. The ever cheerful Summer Rose is going off about the team's plans after graduation. The twins are simply nodding in agreement, probably hoping for him to calm their leader down as usual. Summer stops talking and starts asking questions when she along with the twins notice Tai's packed bag and ticket in hand. Now he may not have told anyone about his plans for the future. The whole _"I'm leaving Team STRQ and never contacting you guys again plan after graduation"_ never left his lips until now. In fact, he probably wasn't paying attention during the times Summer talked to him about her dreams after Beacon. He probably gave the obligatory _"I as well"_ answer and thought nothing of it. Well better break the news to them now.

" _What's the worst that could happen."_

The right side of his face is still swollen from when Raven had decked him before running out of the room. Qrow gave chase to his sister but not before giving him the dirtiest of glares. Though the worse of the three was Summer's response. She just blankly starred at him before turning around saying goodbye to him then walked out of the room. No anger but the pain in her voice was evident. He sighed with his hands in his head and thought of how badly he screwed up again. Tai just wanted this Bullhead ride to be over soon.

" _Maybe I should have worded it better."_

Finally, he arrived at the train all he has to do is step in present his ticket via his scroll and relax as his new life begins. But one thing never left his mind since getting on the Bullhead. It was Raven. Why did she react the way she did? They were never particularly close even though they slept together a few times but Raven had made it abundantly clear it was just stress relief. They used each other and that was that. Then why did his heart hurt as he got on the train?

" _Goodbye Raven."_

It's been a full year since Tai started his security job with Jacques and things went better than expected. Sure the two of them had to deal with the large scale Grimm attacks and fighting other Huntsmen who were paid by rival businessmen to dispose of their boss. The worse was that one guy by the named Marcus Black. Tai swore the man had steel pipes for legs. He can still feel that roundhouse kick to his head now. But hey the boss wanted that Dust field and paid Tai with more Lien than he ever saw in his life to make sure it was done.

" _All in a day's work."_

When the job was done he and Jacques parted ways. Apparently the guy knocked up some farm girl who stayed in the area they worked. Now the man was going on about having as many kids as possible with her. At least eight he said! Tai never pictured Jacques for a family man of all things but he wasn't one to judge simply because Tai isn't a family man. With a smile and a handshake, he bid his friend a goodbye to raise his family in peace. As of right now he has some personal matters to deal with. He has received a message from Qrow of all people!?

 _"Tai we need to meet now!"_

He is now holding a two-month old baby girl with lilac eyes and strands of blonde hair. Qrow is sitting down on the couch while Summer is just standing in the corner of the room. She hasn't said a word since presenting the baby to him.

" _She's my daughter!?"_

So after he left Raven up and disappeared two months later. Then seven months later she snuck into Summer's house at night and left her daughter on Summer's bed for the woman to find just minutes later. Raven only left a note with the name Yang on Summer's nightstand and it was apparent who the father was. Not satisfied, Summer with a sample of Tai's DNA went to confirm Yang's connection to him.

Qrow was furious after the test confirmed Tai as the father. He had only contacted Tai so the man would sign the paperwork relinquishing his parental rights over his niece. Their argument got heated very fast over what and who was right for Yang. Summer in a moment of anger told them to take it outside. She immediately regretted her choice of words knowing it would not end well.

She was right as the two men's brawl outside her home in patch started to get dangerous. The two men pulled out their weapons and the chaos around the surrounding forest spread fast. When she heard Yang begin to cry her patience finally snapped and both of the men found themselves incapacitated with their leader glaring down at them.

 _"Neither of you are getting your hands on my daughter understand!"_

It's been weeks since Tai came back to Vale and he doesn't know what to do anymore. Qrow won't speak with him, Summer has his daughter and Raven is still missing. Tai contemplates just signing his parental rights over to Summer, because he doesn't know how to raise a child. He doesn't even know what a family is like. The best thing he can do for his daughter is to stay out of her life. Maybe that's what Raven felt that night.

" _I'm sorry sweetheart this is for your own good."_

Tai finds himself on the floor outside Summer's home in Patch after presenting the paperwork to her. Summer walks out her house while carrying a now sleeping Yang. She then places the sleeping baby in his hand!?

" _You are not walking out of her life that easy."_

Tai is admittedly confused over Summer's sudden change of heart regarding Yang and his involvement in her life. She explains that Yang already lost Raven and she needs her father in her life. She knows that even though Tai won't admit it that he needs Yang also. But she's not just going to give Yang up. He is going to have to prove that he can be a good father.

" _So what's it going to be Tai?"_

It's been a year since Tai has moved in with Summer and still no word from Qrow. Ozpin had sent him on some mission far outside of Vale that would take an indefinite amount of time to complete. The details are not important to him. No what's important to him is that he now has someone in his life to take care of. He can't thank Summer enough for giving him this chance to be a father to Yang. For that reason alone, he likes to remind her how grateful he is towards her at any opportunity he can. When he sees her baking cookies he goes up to thank her again with a hug and she kisses him in response.

" _What?"_

Tai and Summer are both now naked in her bed. She has her head resting on his pecks as he rubs her back ever so gently as his hand begin to drift downwards. Their time together is stopped when they hear the sound of Yang crying. Summer can only smile at her bemused lover.

" _Let's go and comfort our daughter Tai."_

Tai is now in maternity ward holding a now two-year-old Yang as they both stare into the two-way mirror at the newest addition to their family. _"Ruby Rose"_ the name reads and Tai can't wait till Summer wakes up so they can all celebrate. In his happiness Tai is oblivious to a distinct crow on the window sill that simply looks at the three before flying off.

" _I have no reason to come back now."_

Ozpin is at his door. Tai wonders what the professor needs from him, a Signal academy teacher. Yang is playing outside with Ruby and Ozpin sadly feels that this is the best time as any to give him the news.

" _We've lost contact with Summer, I'm sorry Tai."_

Five months later, Summer has been declared dead and Tai breaks down during the funeral. For the next few weeks he barely leaves the house outside of work. While he tries to take care of the house and kids to the best of his ability it's evident to Tai that he can't do it alone. It's not until the return of Qrow does anyone begin to see any sign of life return to his eyes.

" _Hey there Tai."_

The two former friends are face to face again so long. Yang and Ruby can only wonder who this scruffy looking guy with the tattered red cape is. Tai begins to mumble out a response that he's Raven's brother and Yang's uncle. Qrow tries to stop him before he says anymore but Yang already realizes the implications.

Tai is out running errands when he receives a call from Qrow and his heart nearly stops. Apparently, Yang went out to find information on Raven who has been missing for years with Ruby in her wagon. The two were about to be attacked by the beowolves in the area when Qrow swooped at that critical realization that without Qrow his only two reasons for living would be dead is a sad reminder of Tai's situation.

" _Just how useless have I become."_

Tai is walking down the hallway of his and Summer's house to his daughters' room. He hopes he can talk with her some more and comfort her over what happened at Beacon those past few weeks. He passes by the guest room and only sees Yang staring blankly out the window. He recognizes that look as he had the same not too long ago. Tai can only sigh as he tries to think of a way to bring his girls out of their now depressed and shocked states.

He walks up to the room with breakfast in tray and the best smile he can force upon himself. An empty room and note is all he finds. Tai immediately knows what Ruby is planning and rushes out to catch up and hopefully stop her. One thought races through his mind the entire time.

" _Please be safe Ruby I can't lose you as well."_

* * *

 **Special thanks to /u/Koanos of Reddit who acted as my unofficial beta reader.**

 **Well this is my first dabble into the realms of fan fiction and it's based around a product of RoosterTeeth not surprising considering how much of their stuff I've binged watched from Red vs Blue to basically anything from Achievement Hunter.**

 **Maybe it has to do with the fact Tai is voiced by Burnie who's work as Church was one of the highlights of Red vs Blue. Perhaps that subconsciously influenced my portrayal of young Tai and even his relationship with Raven as mutually dysfunctional like the relationship of Tex and Church from the Blood Gulch Chronicles in Red vs Blue. Instead of the popular** _ **love sick**_ **Tai and** _ **heartbreaker**_ **Raven interpretation that the r/RWBY community on Reddit has that is similar to Jaune's failed of Weiss. Except Tai** _ **somehow**_ **got into Raven's combat skirt and Yang was the result.**

 **My interpretation of the events leading to Yang's and Ruby's conception will most likely be different when Miles and Kerry give the backstories for Team STRQ. If Tai's relationship with Raven is different than mine, then I'll write a one-shot dedicated to Raven. Showing her thoughts and regrets over abandoning the man she loves and her daughter then losing both to her friend. Till then we just have to wait and see.**

 **Ain't that a bitch.**


End file.
